Fruit sorting device



April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL 2,742,137

FRUIT SORTING DEVICE Filed May 1l, 195] lO Sheetsheet l April 17, 1956E. w. CARROLL FRUIT SORTING DEVICE 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May l1, 195]April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL 2,742,137

FRUIT SORTING DEVICE Filed May ll, 195] l0 Sheets-Shawl 3 April 17, 1956E. w. CARROLL 2,742,137

FRUIT SORTING DEVICE Filed May ll, 195] lO Sheets-Sheet 4 30 INV EN TOR/y dn/@mw m 64Mo@ @Z BMW April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL FRUIT soRTINGDEVICE l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May ll 195] Ww M n m mi. w m m f W ,M a Md jf a J, f Iu.l.l f w j/ B Ov ai 0 la. ma! 2 April 17, 1956 E. w.CARROLL 2,742,137

FRUIT soRTlNG DEVICE Filed May 11, 1951 1o sheets-sheet e 172 Ae. w l A.,2007 wf 67 :V ,In mmv-1m@ "[34 zelf X200 2/ Jaz a zal April 17, 1956 E.w. CARROLL 2,742,137

FRUIT soRTrNG DEVICE Filed May ll, 195] l0 Sheets-Sheet '7 April 17,1956 E. w. CARROLL FRUIT soR'rING DEVICE l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed May 1l,195] April 17, 1956 E. w. cARRoLL FRUIT soRTING DEVICE 10 Sheets-Sheet 9Filed May l1 195] April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL 2,742,137

FRUIT SORTING DEVICE Filed May l1, 195] lO Sheets-Sheet lO www@ UnitedStates Patent O FRUIT soR'rING DEVICE Ellsworth W. cai-mn, Redwood City,

S. & W. Fine Foods, Inc., corporation of California Calif., assigner toSan Francisco, Calif., a

z claims. (ci. 19a-m) This invention relates to apparatus for processingfruit having'a stem indent and more particularly the invention relatesto apparatus for feeding,`for orientating as to indent, for orientatingas to seam or suture, for inspecting as to orientation, for halving and`for pitting peaches and other similarly indented fruit, andparticularly peaches suitable for canning.

The various features of the present invention are shown and describedherein, for purposes of illustration of the means and method involved,as combined in a unitary machine coordinated to perform continuously thefollowing operation in sequence, entirely automatically, on whole fruitsuch as peaches:

1, To feed whole peaches in timely relation to the input of the machinein heterogeneous positions.`

2. To automatically adjust fruit carriages on the machine to a sizerelated to the size of the peach in the individual carriages.

3. To rotate the peach with relation to and in contact with anorientation member shaped to enter the stem indent of the peach whenregistry of stem indent and said member occurs, and to change the planeof rotation of the fruit to increase the probability of registry ofindent and orientation member.

4. To orientate the fruit with relation to the seam or suture thereonafter Said member and indent have been registered.

5. To inspect the fruit after the orientation operation and to discardsuch fruits as` are not properly orientated, both as to indent andseam.`

6. To saw the properly orientated fruit in half with the plane of thesaw passing through the indent and the seam plane.

7. To cut out the half pits from `each fruit half.

In the machine described herein all of the above steps are synchronized,so that a continuous ow of fruit is passed through the machine.

Certain aspects of the orientation portion of themachine of the presentinvention have been shown, described `and claimed in my co-pendingapplication, filed September 25, 1947, Serial Number 776,058, of whichthe present application is a continuation-impart.

Among the objects of the present `invention are:

To provide a machine coordinated to receive an orderly succession offruit such `as peaches and to automatically,

feed the fruit in heterogeneous positions into the input of the machinein timely relation to `fruit carriages adapted to maintain the fruit ina position to be further operated on during passage through the machine;

`To provide a means and method of revolving a fruit while in the fruitcarriages of the machine with respect to and in contact with anorientation member shaped to `tit the indents of the fruits beingprocessed, and to revolve the fruit in such a manner as to attain a higheli'iciency of indent orientation;

To provide a means and method whereby the indents of the fruitorientated with the indent in a predetermined position are subjected toan `operation by a member ICC ' designed to enter the indent to thefullest extent, and

while said operation is being conducted, to provide means for moving theindent fitting member in a manner tending j to align the seam plane in adesired position;

To provide a means for probing the fruit indent for the determination ofproper seam position thereof and to cause such fruits as may beimproperly orientated as to both seam and indent position, to be removedfrom the machine;

To provide a single, synchronized machine for accomplishing all of theabove objects in coordinated sequential relation, with the peachesflowing continually through the machine; j

To provide a relatively simple automatic peach processing machine inwhich peaches are orientated both as to indent and seam position,inspected to reject improperly orientated peaches with the properlyorientated fruit halved and pitted;

To provide such a machine that will eliiciently handle either graded forsize or ungraded fruit; and

To provide these and other objects of the invention as will be apparentfrom the perusal of the accompanying description of one preferred formof the invention as shown in the drawings in which:

Figure l is a plan view illustrating the general relationship of thevarious features of the machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the machine of i Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view partly in section, illustrating a `loading feature ofthe aforementioned machine.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the loading feature of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View illustrating a detail of the loadingfeature of Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view entation stage taken as indicatedby` Figure 2. i

Figure 7 is a top plan View of a portion of the indent orientation stageshown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side View taken as indicated by line 8 8 of Figure 7. i j

Figure 8a is a cross-sectional view of a portion of` an orientationwheel.

Figure 9 is a vertical View partly in section and partly of the indentorithe line 6 6 in in elevation of a seam orientation mechanism, taken`as indicated by line 9-9 in Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a side view of the seam orientation mechanism shown inFigure 9, taken as indicated by line. 10-10 in Figure 9.

Figure 1l is a fragmentary plan View taken as indicated by line 11-11 inFigure 9.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary top plan View, taken as indicated by arrow 12in Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a top plan View taken as indicated by line 13-13 in Figurel0. i

Figure 14 is a vertical View partly in section and partly in elevationof an inspection stage, taken as indicated by line 14-14 in Figure 2.

Figures 15 and 16 are views in elevation showing the details of anindent probe forming part of Figure 14.

Figure 17 is a top plan View taken as indicated by arrow 17 in Figure15.

Figure 18 is a vertical View partly in section and partly in elevationof a sawing and pitting mechanism, taken as 21--21 in Figure 20.

Figure 21a is a side view taken as kindicated by line i Main elementsand stages of the machine Before entering into a description of thedetails of the various mechanisms utilized in the various stages of thecomplete machine shown in the drawings, the main elements thereof asparticularly shown in Figures l and 2 will first be described.

The machine illustrated is of the endless carrier type in whichaplurality of fruit carriages are continuously progressed over a framesupported on frame legs 2.

The frame comprises an upper chain bar 5 and a lower chain bar 6 tiedtogether by end crossbars 7 and heid at 90 to each other and at 4 to theground level, as best shown in Figure 18.

At the ends thereof each chain bar is cut away to rcceive an idlersprocket 3 at the front end of the machine, and to receive a drivesprocket 9 at the rear end, these sprockets being positioned to guide anendless roller chain 10 in a position to ride along the top edge of eachupper chain bar 5 and along the bottom edge of each of the lower chainbars 6. The two drive sprockets 9 are driven from a gear box 11, whichis supplied with power from electric motor 12 through belt 14, motorpulley 15 and gear box pulley 16. A plurality of fruit holding carriagesare formed from opposed carriage halves oppositely positioned on andattached at uniform intervals to the roller` chains li?, and progressedby them along the chain bars.

The carriage halves are separated as they pass along the lower chainplate 6 and then rise to approach each other as a loading stage l-A isreached prior to progressing horizontally along the top of the upperchain bars 5. The stages are best shown in Figure 2.

At the loading stage l-A the fruit is loaded in proper sequence into thefruit carriages formed by the opposite carriage `halves now in positionto Yretain the fruit, and ifrthe fruit being processed is ungraded afruit carriage sizing means is operated as the fruit is loaded into thecarriage. This stage will later be described in dctail.

After a peach is loaded into a carriage, the carriages are progressed toenter into an indent orientation stage extending from A to B in whichthe fruit are revolved by frictional contact with power driven wheelsmounted on a sub-conveyor, so that during the orientation stage thefruit will be rotated at all times except when a wheel registers withthe stem indent. This registry prevents further driving contact with thefruit so that the fruit stops rotating, with the indent down. During thepassage of fruit through stage A-B the orientation wheels are changed inrotational plane, preferably rapidly, to increase the probability ofindent registry with the wheel.

After the wheels are removed from beneath the fruit by termination ofthe sub-conveyor, the carriages pass through a seam orientation stageB-C. While the fruit is in this stage a member having an indent ttinghead is applied to the fruit from below and travels with the fruit,oscillating meanwhile to settle the fruit to its deepest extent on thehead and thereby orientate the fruit as to seam or suture plane. As thecarriages pass out of the seam orientation stage B-C, the heads returnquickly to orientate the following fruit as to seam plane. The fruitthen enters an inspection stage C-D.

In this stage C-D, a pilot is inserted into the stem indent, this pilothaving a feeler on the upper end thereof sensing the shape of theindent. if the feeler is not operated, due to an improperly orientatedindent being presented to it, or due to no indent at all being entered,the fruit is raised by the pilot, and means are provided shown inFigures l, 2, 4, 9, 14, and 18.

to remove the peach from thc carriage and from the machine. Assumingthat the inspection has found a properly orientated fruit to be presentin the carriage, the fruit is carried next to a halving stage D-R, theposition sensing pilot returning to inspect the fruit in a followingcarriage.

As the fruit enters the halving stage D-E, the halves of the carriageare released so that the peach is gripped by the carriage halves, and arotating circular saw cuts through the vertical central plane of thepeach as the carriage progresses. When the peaches are properlyoriented, the cut is made through the tip-indent axis and in the planeof the seam, thus providing substantially identical fruit halves.

At the end of the halving stage D-E, the cut surfaces of the peach areclose together and vertical. The peach halves are then passed into apeach half separation and turning stage E-F, in which the fruit halvesare widely separated but are still progressed by the individual carriagehalves to a position in which the cut Surfaces of the fruit halves arehorizontal and facing downwardly. The fruit halves then pass through apitting stage F-G, during which the cutout peach pit portions areremoved from the half and discharged. The pitted half is then separatelydischarged and the carriage halves then return along a return stage G-Ito rise again and approach each other to receive a whole fruit in theloading stage I-A.

The details of each stage, operating as set forth above, will next bedescribed.

F ruit carriages The details of one form of adjustable carriages areEach carriage comprises a pair of carriage halves 20 attached to chains10 opposite each other. Each carriage half 20 comprises a at carriageplate 21 attached at one end to roller chain 10 to slide over upper andlower chain bars on the outside edges thereof. At the other end of thecarriage plate 21, a central ribbed arm 22 extends upwardly from a pivotpin 24 on carriage plate 21 to terminate a V-shaped pair of fruitrestraining fingers 25 extending substantially horizontally when thecarriage base plate 21 is on an upper chain bar. Also extending upwardlyfrom the bottom of carriage plate 21 is a solid arm 26 terminating in anenlarged end 27 from which a locking screw 29 is extended horizontallyfore and aft to pass through kan arcuate slot 30 in central ribbed arm22. Locking screw 29 has a threaded end screwed into enlarged end 27 ofsolid arm 22 and outside of slot 30 the screw 29 is provided with alocking lever 32. The relationship of locking lcver 32, ribbed arm 22,and solid arm 25 is such that upward pres sure exerted by a lockingspring 34 bearing against locking lever and carriage plate 21, and heldin place by a plate boss 35 and a lever boss 36, causes the ribbed arm22 to be firmly locked to the solid arm 26. The threads on screw 29 arecoarse, so that a very slight downward movement of the end of lockinglever 32 will unlock ribbed arm 22. When pressure on lever 32 isreleased, spring 35 will relock the ribbed arm 22. The weight of thefruit is such that when the ribbed arm is unlocked, the arm and iingerswill fall toward the carriage plate by gravity. When two half carriagesare opposed to hold a fruit therebetween, the width of the space betweenthe opposed finger pairs can be changed, and the arms locked in anyposition desired. Thus, fruit diifering materially in size can beaccommodated between opposed finger pairs,`

with proper spacing so that fruit between the linger pairs can be freelyrevolved.

The space between finger pairs 25 during passage of the fruit along themachine will be termed a fruit restraining space 37. Y

The restraint of the fruit from below is provided by a base plate 39extended from each carriage plate 21 to Ward the vertical longitudinalcentral plane of the machine V. P. These base plates 39 aresubstantially horizontally positioned beneath finger pairs 25 and arecentrally pro4` vided with central cut out portions 40 for the insertionof various` devices from below into the restraint space 37 above opposedbase plates,

As will be seen later, the control of the size of the re straint space37 between carriage halves can be made auto matic, either for runninggraded peaches where the reA straint space is kept uniform in sizeexcept for a gripping of the peach just prior to sawing; or for runningungraded peaces Where the position of the finger pairs in each car riagehalf of a carriage assemblyis individually changed to provide thepropersize of restraint space for free revoA lution of a peach being loadedinto the particular restraint space.

` Loading stage I-A Loading of the peaches is accomplished by the mechtnnism particularly shown in `Figures 3, 4, and 5, taken in conjunctionwith Figures land 2. i

i An upright 45 is erected from a frame plate 43 joining legs 2 at theinput end of the machine, and carries a star wheel 46 rotatable in thecentral vertical plane V. P. on

. wheel pin 47. Attached to star wheel 46 is a ratchet 49 having eightteeth t) thereon. The star wheel 46 has four pockets 51 and is placed atthe endof a sloping feed chute 52 in which the peaches to be run arestacked, the chute being fed from a hopper (not shown) with the fruit inheterogeneous positions as to indent.

The star wheel 46 is rotated by reciprocation of a pawl lever 54 havinga pawl 55 mounted thereon engaging teeth 50 on the ratchet 49. Lever 54is reciprocated through rod 53 by crank 56 (Figure 2) mounted on the endof a lower longitudinal shaft 57 extending forward from gear box 11 attwice machine cycle speed so that a` peach rolling from feed chute 52into a star wheel pocket 51 will be rotated first, one eighth of arevolution to a position in contact with an upper dished roller 59mounted on a swinging roller arm 66 attached to the top of upright 45,this position being shown in Figure S, and then by another eighthrevolution to a position where the fruit will drop by gravity from thestar wheel 46 into the restraint space 37 formed by the opposed linger25 pairs on carriage halves 28 coming up on the chains lil to thebeginning of the horizontal path on the machine frame.

As the carriage halves 20 rise vertically at the input end of themachine, these halves are preferably automatically and individuallyadjusted for the size peach being loaded when ungraded fruit is beingprocessed.

These carriage halves are first unlocked by a loading cam 61 `positionedon each side of the input end of the machine bearing against lockinglevers 32 on each carriage half shown in Figures l` and 2. The carriagehalves are held unlocked by the loading cam as they rise toward theloading location. As pointed out in the prior description of thecarriage halves 20, the restraining linger pairs 25 on each carriagehalf will fall toward each other by gravity when the ribbed arms areunlocked so that as these` carriage halves near the loading positionthey will have minimum spacing between opposed finger pairs. As thecarriage halves 20 rise, in unlocked condition, they are opened to amaximum extent by a fixed opening cam 63.

Just prior to the loading position the distance between finger pairs iscontrolled by the position of a pair of opposite adjusting earns 62which begin as opening cams 63 end. Each cam 62 is positioned to bearagainst a lower and inner surface of a ribbed arm 22 on a carriage halfafter the ribbed arms leave the opening cams 63. Both adjusting cams 62-are supported by a cam lever 64 pivoted on pin 65 on the lower portionof uprightr 45. The ribbed arms 22 of the carriage halves, it has beenseen, are not vertical, but slope upwardly toward the central verticalplane V. P. of the machine and when released by opening cams 63, come torest on adjusting cams 62. `The vertical positionof adjusting cams 62isdetermined by a rod connection 66 between cam `lever 64 and dishedroller arm 60. p j As the dished roller arm 60 is lifted to pass over apeach rotated by star wheel 46, this `arm 60, throughV rod connection 66and cam lever 64 lifts `adjusting `earns 62 which in turn position theopposed linger pairs 25A 2) terminate, and the springs 34 on thecarriage halves operating on loading levers 32 lock the finger pairs inthe position inwhich they were placed by the action of adjusting cams62.

In case graded peaches are being run through the machine, rod connection66 may be removed and the adjusting cams 62 held in the same positionfor all carriages by setting a cam lever positioning screw 67 to holdthe adjusting cams 62 in a constant fixed position as determined by theaverage size of the peaches being processed. For ungraded peachespositioning screw 67 can be set to hold the restraint'space to apredetermined minimum, or removed, if desired. Thus, the carriages canall be adjusted to have the same restraining space, or can beindividually adjusted as to restraint space in accordancewith the sizeof the peach being loaded.

Indenz orientation stage A-B After the peaches have been loaded into thecarriages and the restraint spaces, they pass directly into an indent`orientation stage, the details of which `are shown in Figures 6, 7, 8,and 8a. This stage Atakes up four carriage lengths on the conveyor.

In this indent orientation stage, a subconveyor frame '70 is supportedfrom the upper chain bar 5 by subconveyor frame brackets 71,throughlower adjustment screws 72 that can be changed in length toadjust the height of the subconveyor frame, as shown in Figure 6. Thisframe comprises two vertical U-shaped side channels 74 and 75 facingeach other to form a support for a cam track block 76 extendinghorizontally across the machine between and joining the channels 74 and75 andtrackiblock 76, and when returning underneath the cam` track block76, the wheel blocks 81 rideon the lower inturned edgesof the opposedside channels 74 and 75. The wheel blocks 81 are spaced carriagedistance apart, and are arranged on the subconveyor chain 77 to travelcentrally beneath the carriages` as they progress along the horizontalpath of the carrier. i

Each wheel block 81 supports a wheel pivot 84 extending upwardly whenthe blocks are on the upper side of the cam track block 76, this pivot84 extending through the wheel block to join a roller arm 85 having adownwardly projecting roller 86 on the end thereof. 1Each roller titsand rides in a cam track 87 grooved into the upper surface of the camtrack block 76 and extending the full length thereof, with severalchanges of direction, as will be later described.

The upper end of each wheel pivot 84 is forked and is crossed at the endthereof by a wheel pin 90 on which an orientation wheel 91 is mounted toro-tate freely. A

portion of a wheel 91 is shown in section in Figure 8a.`

conforming to the slope` ion Wire axison the same level as that of theapex of Y the orientation wheels 91.

Pinion wireA 94fis rotated by a pinion wirechain 97 engaging 'a pinionwire sprocket 99 positioned at the forrv'va'rdrend of the pinion wire.The pinion wire chain 97 extendsr downwardly to pass around a shaftsprocket 99 on longitudinal shaft 57 which drives the crank 56 forrotation'of star wheel 46 (see Figure 2). l Y

Asshownin Figure 6, the subconveyor chain 77 is driven by vpins 100,extendingdownwardly from the main roller chain 10 on theside of themachine opposite the pinion wire, these pins100 being properly spaced onchain 1,0 to engage each wheel block 81 and progress the wheel blocksyalong on rthe subconveyor at the same rate of speed as the carriages.

As then carriages progress, and enter the orientation stage .A-B, theorientation wheels 91 rise at the beginning ofthe subconveyor frame, andenter the spaces between carriage base plates 39 in the cutouts 40therein provided and project into the restraint spaces in which thefruit is held. As the orientation wheels 91 reach the vertical plane,the cam rollers enter the cam track 87 which, through the roller arms 85connected to the wheel pivots 84 control the vertical plane positions ofthe orientation wheels.

The cam track, as the rollers 86 enter it, is provided with an entranceflare 101 to facilitate entrance of the rollers. Arms 85y extendoutwardly from pivots 84 in the plane of the wheel.

As the rollers enter the track, the rollers trail with the wheels ,inthecentral vertical plane V. P. of the machine. The cam track 87 thenmoves to one side of the cam track block 76 in a position where theteeth 92 on each wheel are forced into engagement with the longitudinalteeth 95 on the pinion wire 94 which is constantly rotating. Thisengagement causes the wheels to rotate in a vertical plane 45 to thecentral vertical plane of the'machine. The fruit, resting on a wheel, isthereby rotated unless and until a wheel enters the stem indent of thefruit. At this time rotation of the fruit will cease even though thewheel on which the fruit is resting `is still rotating, as the fruitwill be lowered by this registry of wheel and indent and at least partof the weight of the fruit will be taken by the base plates 39-on eachside of the wheel.

In any event, as the carriages, fruit, and wheels progress, the camtrack 87 is changed in direction on the cam track block 76 and is movedover to the other side of cam track block- 76. The rollers, trailing inthe cam track, follow the direction change thereof, and flip the wheelsinto a new vertical plane 90 away from their former positions into aposition where the wheel teeth 92 again engage the pinion wire teeth 95,but on the opposite side of the orientation wheel. The wheel thenrotates in the opposite direction. The rapid change in the verticalrotation plane of the wheels, with direction reversal, greatly increasesthe probability of the indent of a fruit registering with theorientation wheel. In the preferred example shown, several wheel planechanges are made while the wheels arerprojecting into the restraintspace 37 between the carriage halves. In this same preferred example,the wheel is about 1% inches in diameter, 1A inch thick neartheperiphery, and is rotated about 260 R. P. M. by the pinionlwire whenthe carriages are being progressed at a rate of 6() per minutes past agiven point.

As some of the peaches may have their indents come to a registry with awheel at the very beginning of ther orientation stage, subsequent wheelplane shifts also aid` in seam orientation, particularly with respect tothose fruits whose inden'ts are of proper size to t the wheel so that asub- 'S stantial weight of thepeach still rests` on the base plates, butthe indent ts the wheel after wheel and indent registry occur closeenough to turn thefruit in the V. P. The

inertia of the peach permits the wheels to shift their plane withoutalways moving the peach and during this relative movement of wheel andindent, the wheel plane and seam plane may coincide. When this happens,the peach settles still further on the wheel, so that the wheel planeand seam plane substantially conicide as the wheel ,will penetrate toits maximum extent when such coincidence occurs. For this reason, it ispreferred that the cam track 87 be ended with a short end section 102which places the wheel plane in the central vertical plane V. P. of themachine as the wheels leave the carriages.

At the end of the indent orientation stage A-B the majority of the fruitwill be properly orientated with the indent down. However, as not all ofthe fruit will be orientated as to seam or suture with the suture planecoinciding with the central vertical plane V. P. of the machine, it isdesirable to pass the fruit through a seam orientation stage B-C.

Seam orientation stage B-C The seam orientation stage B-C operates toorientate peaches that enter the stage with their indents down, into aposition where the seam or suture plane through the fruit liessubstantially in the central vertical plane V. P. of the machine,

In making this seam plane orientation, full advantage is taken of thefact that the stem indent is longer in the plane of the seam than it isin any other plane, so that an elongated member shaped to enter the stemindent to its full depth when registered with the seam plane and withsubstantially all of the weight of the peach thereon will not enter theindent to the same depth in any other plane. Advantage is also taken ofthe fact that such an indent iitting member, once having been enteredinto the indent to the fullest extent possible, tends to stay there whenrotated, whereas when such a member is rotated with respect to a peachindent in any other relationship thereto than full penetration, relativerotation of the peach and member can take place. Thus by presenting anelongated indent member generally fitting the indents of peaches to theindent of each peach and rotating the peach and member relative to eachother in horizontal planes, the member seeks and nds the deepestpenetration in the indent by this-relative movement. When such deepestpenetration is'achieved, i. e., when the longest dimension of the memberis in the seam plane of the fruit, the member and peach rotate togetherandthe seam plane remains orientated with respect to the member.k Then,by stopping the rotation of the member in a predetermined, position withrespect to the machine and withdrawing the member, the peach will beleft in the machine with the indent down and with the seam plane in thepredetermined position desired.

In Figures 9, l0, l1, l2, and 13, a seam orientation mechanism is shownin detail for orientating the peaches passing through the machine toplace their seam planes in the central vertical plane V. P.-of themachine. This stage takes up three carriage lengths on the machine.

VReferring rst to Figures 9 and l0, a seam orientation block 105 ismounted to slide centrally and longitudinally ofthe machine below andbetween carriage halves, being reciprocated over a horizontal pathcovering 1% carriage length by a horizontal reciprocation rod 106(Figure l2) operated from the 1/z time shaft 251, as will be laterdescribed, through rod pin 107 attached to the rear end of orientationblock 105. Laterally and vertically, the orientation block 105 ismaintained in position by guides 109 entering grooves 110 in theorientation block 105, the guides. 109 being bolted to opposite upperchain bars 5 of the machine, as best shown in Figure 9.`

The orientation block 10S is reciprocated along the.

machine at lcarriage speed, with a quick return at the endof thepathsot-hat thefruit inv two carriages canbe.

simultaneously operated on for seam orientation just after the fruit hasleft the indent orientation stage A-B.

A pair of longitudinally spaced rod bosses, a front boss 111 and a rearboss 112, project upwardly and centrally from orientation block 165 andeach boss and the block is bored to receive and journal a vertical seamrod 114 extending through the block to terminate well below it.

Between the lower projections ofl seam rods 114 a pair of slide pins 115extend downwardly from orientation block 105 and are connected togetherby a cross bar 113 at the bottom thereof below the ends of seam rods114. Mounted on slide pins 115 is a vertical slide 116, this slide beingreciprocated by a slide rod 117, operated from gear box 11, as will bedescribed later.

Slide 116 is provided with fore and aft lugs 119 extended therefrom andbored to receive seam rods 114. Immediately above lugs 119 each seam rod114 is provided with a pinned washer 120, and immediately below each lug119, each seam rod is provided with a small sprocket 121 pinned to eachseam rod 114, these sprockets being connected by a sprocket chain 122.

Thus both seam rods 114 will be vertically reciprocated in theorientation block 105 by vertical reciprocation of vertical slide 116 byslide lever 117. Also as both seam rods are connected together by chain122, any rotation imparted to one seam rod will cause the other seam rodto rotate as well.

When slide 116 is in its lowest position the upper ends of seam rods 114are close to the top of bosses 111 and 112 and each seam rod is providedwith an upper indent tting tip 124.

This tip 124, best shown in Figures 9, 10, and l2, has a roughly diamondshaped base 125 elongated in one dimension, with sides 126 slantingupwardly to a central cutout 127 which is present so that if a smallportion of a peach stem 129 (Figure 9) remains in the bottom of anindent this small piece of stem will enter the cutout 127 so that itwill not preventdeep penetration of the tip 124 into the indent. Exceptfor the cutout 47, the tip 124 resembles the indent fitting portion ofan orientation wheel 91, and the tip has the same relative dimensions asthe indent iitting portion of the wheels 91, both as to length andthickness.

The front and rear surfaces of the indent fitting tip 124 also slopeupwardly toward the cutout 127 and are rounded, so that the shape of thetip is such as to fit deeply into a peach indent only when the elongatedindent registers with the long dimension of the tip in exactly the samemanner as the tops of wheels 91 registered with the indent for seamorientation in the previous stage. When such registry occurs, theposition or the peach is determined by the position of the tip, as underthese conditions both tip and peach will rotate together. When notoperating on a peach, indent fitting tips 124 are below the level of thebase plates 39 of the carriage halves, so that the orientation block 105can be reciprocated in the opposite direction to carriage travel.

As the carriages leave the indent orientation stage A-B the seam blockis timed to place the indent fitting tips 124 centrally beneath twocarriages, and after the seam block motion is synchronized with thecarriage motion, the vertical slide 116 is raised by slide lever 117 toraise the seam rods 114 so that the indent fitting tips 124 pass throughthe cut outs 40 in base plates 39 of the carriage halves, and pushupwardly against the lower surface of the fruit in the carriages. Inmost instances the indent itting tips 124 will contact the indents ofthe fruit, as the majority of the fruit will have been orientatedby theprevious stage with the indent down. The tips 124 are raised asufficient amount so that they can penetrate to the deepest extent intothe indent of the fruit being processed by the machine, with the weightof the peach entirely resting on the tip.

In order that the fruit be not merely rolled sidewise` in the restraintspace between the linger pairs of the car- 10 riage, fruit centralizingdevices are utilized as shown iii Figure 9. i

Two centralizing devices are provided, one over each seam rod. Eachcentralizing device consists of a bracket 130 bolted at its lower end toorientation block 105. This bracket extends outwardly between the chainbars and then extends upwardly. At about the average level of the topsof peaches in the carriages, a cap lever 134 extends back toward thecentral vertical plane V. P. of the machine, this lever being connectedby` pivot 135 to bracket 139 for rotation in a vertical plane. Near theend of cone lever 134 a horizontal fork 136 is provided, this forkrotatably supporting a hollow cone 137 dimensioned to receive about thetop third of a peach. Cone 137 iloats, rotates freely and is movablevertically in a cone base 139, being held therein by cone shoulder 140and retaining ring 141. The central axis of cone 137 is maintainedvertical by a positioning rod 142 journalled at one end in a centralcone base lug 144 and at the other end in the terminusof bracket 130,the rod 142 being positioned parallel with cone lever 134.

The cone 137, resting on the peach, maintains the fruit vertical whilebeinglifted by a seam rod 114, yet does not interfere with verticalmovement or rotation of the peach.

The position of the cone 137 over the peach is under the control of avertical control rod 145 pinned to the cone lever 134 near theattachment of the latter to bracket 130, the control rod 145 extendingbetween the chain bars to be rotatably attached to a lifting lever 146pivoted to the extension 147 of cross bar 113. One .lifting lever 146 ispositioned at one side of extension 147, the other lifting lever beingpositioned on the other side of the extension 147 so that the inner end149 of each lifting lever will be in a position to contact the lower endof a seam rod, as shown in Figure l0.

The result of the action of the linkage just above de` scribed, is thatas the two seam rods rise to contact the fruit, the two cones arelowered on to the: top of the two fruit being operated on by the indenttting tips 124. When the seam rods are lowered, the cones are raisedabove the fruit to clear the fruit, as the orientation block is beingreturned.

Assuming that the fruit indent contacted by an indent fitting tip is notproperly orientated with the seam plane in the plane of the longdimension of the indent fitting tip, the indent fitting tips areoscillated away from and back to the central vertical plane position inorder that the indent fitting tips 124 is provided for by the use ofregister more deeply with the indent. This oscillation of the indentfitting tips 124 is provided for by the use of a rod pinion 15d mountedon each seam :rod 114 immediately below orientation block 105 and pinnedto the seam rod-s as best shown in Figure l0.

- Rack brackets 151 are dropped down from one slide 199, these rackbrackets supporting a rack 152 having a forward set of teeth 154 spacedfrom a rear set of teeth 15S, both sets` of these teeth being positionedto mesh with rod pinions only when vertical slide 116 and the seam rods114 are raised. (See Figure 13.)

The rack 152 is positioned to intersect the leading pinion 150 justafter the seam rods have been raised and are travelling rearwardly atthe same speed as the carriages with the indent iitting tips 124 incontact with the peaches in the overhead carriages.

This engagement of the leading pinion rotates this pinion, the leadingseam rod, and, by virtue of the sprocket chain 122, the trailing seamrod and tip also. The angular rotation of the rod and tip will bedetermined by the number of teeth on the rack, but an initial rotationof ap proximately 30 to 80 away from the central Vertical plane V. P.may be utilized, with a total rotation of from 60 to 160. about 45 witha total rotation of about 90 has been found satisfactory.

An opposite intermediate rack156 held by rack bracket t In manyinstances an initial rotation of 1 1 157 extended 'from theoppositeupper chain bar 5 is provided, this rack 156 being positionedbetween front and rear teeth 154 and 155 respectively, to engage pinions150 to rotatethe rod and tip in the opposite direction.

As the leading rod pinion 150 leaves the rear teeth 155 of the rack 152,the trailing pinion 150 then engages the front teethv 154 and therotative oscillation of the tips is repeated, thusproviding threechances for the tips 124 Y to registerl with the seam indent, which havebeen found Y sufficient to orientate a major proportion of the fruitwith the; seam plane aligned with the major extent of the indent tips124.

After the trailing Vpinion-150 has cleared the rack 152, it has beenfound desirable to vibrate the indent fitting tips 124 to insure themost exact registry possible of tip and indent. `Thisis accomplished bysupporting a stationary'vibration rack 159 on the end of and below thelevel of rack 152 in a position to engage a vibration block'160 pinnedto the trailing seam rod 114 just below trailing pinion 150, thisvibration block having vibration rollers 161m spaced a distance of 31/2teeth apart thereon, running over the teeth on vibration rack 159, asshown in Figure l1, to impart an escapement type of rapid and shortrocking motions to the attached seam rod and indent fitting tip, andalso, through chain 22 to the leading seam rod and tip. This shortperiod of indent tting tip vibration greatly aids in the ual precisealignment of indent and tip.

As soon as vibration has ceased, the vertical slide 116 is lowered byslide lever 117, leaving the peaches again resting on the base plates 39of the opposed carriage halves. As the indent fitting tips 124 approachthe orientation block 105 they are accurately aligned in the centralvertical plane V. P. of the machine by being lowered between twopositioning pins 161 on the top of the seam orientation block 105. Whenindent fitting tips 124 have been lowered below the level of the baseplates 39 of the carriage halves, the seam orientation block 105 israpidly moved'forward to repeat the seam orientation cycle on thepeaches in the two following carriages.

Inspection stage C-D The inspection'stage C-D of the machine is shown indetail in Figures 14 to 17, inclusive.

While the seam inspecting device previously described operates on twopeaches at a time, the fruit can be inspected'quickly and accuratelywith a single indent inspection probe mounted to operate on the fruitimmediately after the peaches have left the seam orientation stage.

The indent probe 165 is a composite body extending vertically in thecentral vertical plane V. P. of the machine and mounted for verticalmovement in a probe block 166 which in turn can be reciprocatedhorizontally along the path of the fruit by means of reciprocating powerrod 167'connected to probe block 166 by end connection 16S and Voperatedfrom the gear box 11 as will be later described. The probe 165 ismounted to be moved along with the fruit carriages at fruit carriagespeed with the probe 165 centrally positioned with respect to the fruitin the carriages and below the fruit. The movement covers a distance ofapproximately 2/s or of the center to center spacing between twocarriages, allowing theremaining time for the return. The probe block166 slides for such movement on lateral flanges 169 riding on probeblock guides 171i attached to the upper chain bars 5.

Eloek 166 is reciprocated by the reciprocating power rod 167 from thecyclic shaft 250 through the cam 269 (Figure 2l) and parts 276, 271,272.

The indent probe 165, as before stated, is composite and comprises a,main vertical body member 172 whichV can slide vertically in a sleeve174 attached to block 166.

Main -body member 172 terminates upwardly in an indent pilot 175. Thisindent pilot is positioned to extend in theeentral jv'ert'ieal. plane V.P, of the machine, and

12 the pilot is elongated in that plane to tit and enter the sternindent of a fruit when this indent is down and is .in a position placingthe seam plane ofthe fruit substantiallyin the central vertical plane V.P. of the machine.

Positioned at right angles to the indent pilot 175 and slideably mountedon the top of the main probe body member 172 is a plate-like inspectiontip 176` having laterally extending portions 177 sloping upwardly to thelevel of the top of the center of the indent pilot 175 so that fromabove the two tips form a cross having side members sloping downwardlyfrom the center thereof, as shown in Figure 17.

Inspection tip y176 as above stated, is slideably mounted on the top ofmain body member 172 and terminates below in a pin 178 pivoting the tip176 to one end of a cross lever 179 pivoted on body member 172. Theother end of cross lever 179 is pivoted to a downwardly extending rod130 connected to a bell crank pawl 181 having its lower end engaginginone position the top of a probe slide 182 vertically movable along thebottom of body member 172 by probe slide rod 184 driven from gear box11.

ln another position, pawl 181 is withdrawn into body member 172, and inthis latter position the probe slide 182, when reciprocated vertically,does not move the main body member 172. However, when pawl 181 isextended by a light spring 183 to engage the top of probe slide 182, themain body member moves upwardly as the probe slide 182 rises.

As the probe block 166 moves forward rapidly toward the input end of themachine, the probe slide 182 holds the indent pilot 175 and theinspection tip 176 below the base plates 39 of the carriage halves. Asthe fruit is carried along by the carriages, the operation of the probeis timed so that it meets a carriage just leaving the seam orientatingstage B-C, and the probe block 166 starts to move at the same rate ofprogression as that of the fruit and in the same direction. At the sametime, the probe slide 182 is raised rapidly, the upper end of the probepassing through the cutouts 40 in the base plates 39 of the carriagehalves as shown in Figure 14.

' if the fruit in the carriage being probed has the indent thereof downand the seam plane in the vertical central plane V. P. of the machine,as the probe rises the indent pilot 175 will enter the indent but thetop of the inspection tip 176 will contact the sides of the indent. Asthe probe continues to rise into the indent, the inspection tip 176 isheld stationary, and the main body member 172 ceases to rise because therelative movement of the indent pilot 175 and the inspection tip 176 hascaused the pawl 181 to be withdrawn into main body member 172. Afterthis happens, the probe slide 182 continues to rise but the proberemainsstationary. Thus, when the indent is in the proper position the fruitbetween the carriagehalves is not disturbed, and remains between thecarriage halves to be moved to the next stage of the machine.

Howevenif the indent fitting tip contacts the surface of a peach awayfrom the indent, or should enter an indent which is down but which isturned so that the seam plane is not in the central vertical plane V. P.of the machine then no Contact of the peach will be made with theinspection tip 176. ln this case the pawl 181 will remain extendedandthe probe continue to rise with the probe Slide 182, forcing thefruit upwardly.

The length ofthe probe is such that at the top of the probe slidestroke, the peach will be lifted just above the upper level of the ngerpairs on the carriage halves. At this point a peach that has been raisedis ready for ejection from the machine. Ejection is accomplished by anejection mechanism best shown in Figure 14.

The ejection device comprises a pantograph frame 185, positioned on across plate 7 between upper-and lower chain bars in a position oppositeto that position where a fruit is raised'to its upper limit by theprobe. This frame 185 is kfree toimove inwardly under the control of apair of rollers 187 spaced by a frame fork 189 and also under the urgeof a frame spring 190. Rollers 187 are positioned to contact and bridgea finger pair 25 of a carriage half on one side of the machine, so thatthe pantograph frame 185 will be moved away from the central verticalplane V. P. of the machine when one roller rides up on the advancingfinger of a finger pair. The frame will move toward the central verticalplane of the machine after the rollers have bridged a finger pair. Thepantograph frame 185 is thus cammed laterally by roller contact with theadvancing linger of each carriage half on the pantograph frame side ofthe machine.

The pantograph frame 185 comprises an inner arm 191 to which frame fork189 is attached, and an outwardly spaced arm 192 of parallel extent.Inner arm 191 at its Vlower end is pivoted to a short pivot boss 194 onthe cross plate 7 and the outer arm 192 is pivoted on a longer pivot lug195 on cross plate 7. The top ends of the inner and outer arms 191 and192, respectively, are pivoted to an ejection plate arm 196 to which isattached an ejection plate 197 facingthe opposite side of the machineand having fore and aft vertical flanges 199. The pantograph frame 185is adjusted to give the ejection plate 197 a substantially horizontalmotion when a roller 187 first contacts a tinger and rides toward thelinger junction. After the finger junction is passed, the rollers permitmovement of the pantograph frame 185 inwardly toward the centralvertical plane V. P. of the machine.

This movement causes ejection plate 197 to move across the restraintspace between the finger pairs and is timed to take place when the probe165 has reached its highest point when carrying a peach upwardly in therestraint space. At this time and in 'this position, the peach iscontacted by the inwardly moving ejection plate 197 and is forcedlaterally past the central vertical plane of the machine into anopposite discharge chute 200 which is also pivoted to cross plate 7 andprovided with spaced rollers 187 similar to those attached to thepantograph frame. The peach rolls down chute 200 into a longitudinaldischarge channel 201 which extends to the end of the machine frame asshown best in Figure 1.

Thus, any peaches not properly orientated both as to indent and seamposition are removed from the machine before reaching the sawing stageto follow.

As peaches which are properly orientated are not lifted by the probe,the ejection plate 197, in moving across the restraint space, does notdisturb such a properly orientated peach below it. These peaches remainin the carriages to enter the sawing stage.

On the downward stroke of the probe slide 182, the main body member 172contacts the bottom of a positioning bracket 201 attached to one probeblock bracket 170,

so that the rocking pawl 181 will always be returned to its' outwardposition at the end of the stroke.

Sawz'ng stage D-E After the carriages leave the inspection stage C-Donly those peaches remain in the carriages which have their indents downand which also have their seam plane Vin the central vertical plane V.P. of the machine. These peaches, as far as position is concerned, arenow ready for sawing but are only loosely held in the carriages'. Inorder that they may be grasped firmly by opposite finger pairs 25, anunlocking cam 20S on each side of the machine is held in the path of thelocking levers 32 on each carriage half, these cams 205 being mounted oncam brackets 206 erected from cross plates 7 between the two chain barsand 6, as shown in Figures l, 2, and 18, and are positioned to unlockthe carriage halves just before these carriage halves leave the rollers187 attached to the pantograph frame 185 and to chute 200. As thecarriage halves pass the unlocking cams 205, the locking levers 32 aredepressed to unlock the ribbed arms 22 and these arms, and the attachedfinger pairs, fall by gravity and under the urge, of roller S7 towardthe central plane of the machine and against the peach between thefinger pairs, each finger pair stopping when Contact with the peach ismade. The peach is centralized by the linger pairs which are in thisposition linked together through rollers 187 on the pantograph frame 185and chute 200, the latter two elements being linked through horizontallevers X191 and X200 respectively, the inner ends of the latter leversbeing connected by vertical link X300, as shown in Figure 14. After thishappens, locking levers 32 pass olf unlocking cams 205 and the lingerpairs are locked against the peach. Thus', the peach is firmly graspedbetween the ringer pairs, with the seam plane in or very close to thecentral vertical plane V. P. of the machine.

After `the peach has been grasped and the carriage halves locked, thepeaches are progressed past a central, vertically positioned circularhalving saw 209 driven by a saw motor 210 mounted above the machine onsaw motor brackets 211 extended from the frame of the machine. The planeof the saw 209 is in the central vertical plane V. P. and as the peachesare moved past the saw, the peaches are cut in half. As the plane of thesaw coincides with the seam or suture plane of the peach being sawed,each half of the peach will be substantially identical.

Peach half separation stage E-F After the peach has been sawed into twosubstantially identical halves, the two halves are separated and changedin position, in preparation for the removal of the pit halves remainingin the peach halves.

Positioned on each side Vof the halving saw 209 in a vertical plane andclose to the saw blade is a thin splitter plate 212 which enters betweenthe saw and the sawed surface of the peach halves, the peach halvesbeing held against the splitter plates' by a finger pair as thecarriages progress. The splitter plates are best shown in Figures 1 and2.

As the carriage halves start downwardly around the angularly positioneddrive sprockets 9 the splitter plates 212flare outwardly and turn inplane, following the path of the finger pairs, so that the peach halves'are pressed by the finger pairs against the splitter plates over theentire course of the splitter plates. To prevent the peach halves fromchanging position with respect to the splitter plates on which they areriding, the splitter plates are provided with-ridges 214 as shown inFigures' l and 2.

As the lower horizontal path of the carriage halves is reached, thesplitter plates 212 have been twisted into a horizontal plane with thepeach halves held on the top thereof by the finger pairs as shown inFigure 18. ln this position the peach halves are ready for pit removal,and are sufficiently far apart laterally so that the pitting drivemechanism can be placed between the splitter plates. The pit halves arethen cut out by a pitting mechanism in a pitting stage.

Fitting stage ZLG The pitting mechanism operating on the peach halvestio remove the pit halves is best shown in Figures 18 and Extendingoutwardly from each side of gear box 11, which is located between thelower chain bars 6 and below the saw 209, is a pitting knife sleeve 214rotatable in the side wall 215 of the gear box 11 in a sleeve bearing216. Adjacent the outer end of each sleeve 214 is a pitting knife 217having parallel ends 219 attached to a curved blade 220 which describesa radius with the center located at the intersection of the axis of thewobble pin with the axis of the shaft 224 and which is the generalcontour of a half pit. Pitting knife 217 is attached by ends 219 to aknife bearing 221 in which a wobble pin 222 extended from a wobble shaft224 is rotatable. The wobble shafts 224 `from each knife extend inwardlythrough sleeves' 214 to join at a centralY pinion 225 Within the gearbox 11, this pinion 225 being rotated at high speed by mating gear 225amountedV on longitudinal shaft 57. Y

Sleeves 214 terminate outwardly in sleeve slots 226 in which the innerend 219 of the pitting knife and the knife bearing 221 are held.

` The wobble pin 222 extends at an angle from one side of the end ofeach wobble shaft 224, crossing the axis of the wobble shaft 224 aboutmidway of the extent of the wobble pin, this crossing being positionedsubstantially below the center of the line of peach pit travel over thesplitter plates. Rotation of the wobble pins 222 by shafts 224 does notrotate the pitting knife 217, as the latter are restrained by the sleeveslots 226, but merely oscillate the knives rapidly.

In vorder that the pitting knives 217 be rotated over a path where theywill pass around a peach pit half in a peach half, each sleeve 214 isinwardly joined by a bridge 227 extended over and around the centralpinion 225 so that both sleeves 214 can be reciprocated by sleeve rod228 through a sleeve arm 229. Sleeve rod 229 is driven by connection toan eccentric cam in the gear box 11 as will be described later.

If all peach halves were to be of substantially the same size, thepitting knife sleeves 214 could be solidly positioned. However, aspointed out above, it may be desirable for the machineto processungraded fruit, in which case the halves presented for pitting may varysubstantially in size. Thus, with the vertical position of the pittingblade tixed with relation to the plane of the cut surface of the peach,reciprocation of a pitting knife 217 over a fixed are passing through apeach half, could take too large a cut out of a small peach half, andtoo small a cut to properly remove the'pit half from a large peach half.Consequently, I prefer to position the pitting knife 217 vertically inaccordance with the size of the fruit half being presented for pitremoval.

In order that the pitting knives can be moved vertically, the sleeves214 are each provided with a hinge 230 adjacent the side wall 215 ofgear box 11 on the outside thereof so that the outer ends of the sleevescan be moved vertically. Inside the hinges the wobble shafts 224 areeach provided with a flexible joint 231 so that these wobble shafts canbe continuously rotated when the vertical position of pitting knives 217is changed.

The vertical position of pitting knives 217 in each case is controlledby a roller 232 which is rotatably supported on a bell crank 234rotatable on a bell crank bracket 235 positioned outwardly from eachpitting knife 217 and attached to gear box base 236. Each roller 232bears against the junction of the two fingers on each finger pair ofeach carriage half as the latter pass by. This junction reiiects thethickness of the peach half, as the finger pairs were moved into peachsurface contact just prior to the sawing operation, as explained above.On each side, the end of bell crank 234 opposite roller 232 is connectedby a link 237 to a sleeve extension 241. A stop 242 prevents each sleeve214 from dropping below a minimum vertical position, between contacts ofrollers 232 with the carriage halves.

In operation, each pitting knife remains substantially horizontal withcurved blade 220 just below a splitter plate 212, each of which at thisposition is cut away with a blade slot 244 therein to permitreciprocation of the curved blade 220 over an arc passing around a pithalf in a peach half being progressed along a splitter plate 212 by acarriage half.

As a peach half approaches the pitting position, each sleeve 214 isrotated by movement of sleeve arm 229 to move the pitting blade upwardlyand in the direction of the moving peach half. At the same time eachsleeve 214 is raised by roller 232 contacting the carriage half so thatas the curved blade 221i ofy the pitting knife 217 reaches its topmostposition, as shown in Figure 18 (left), the blade will be above the pit,but not so far above as to remove too great a proportion of leach meatalong with the pit.

Reciprocation of the knife continues with the blade moving with thepeach half as the peach half progresses, until the blade swings againbelow the level of the splitter plate 212, after having passedcompletely around the pit half, which then drops out of the peach. Thepitted peach half Vthen continues on the splitter plate until past thedischarge point of the pits and then the splitter plates terminate,permitting the pitted peach halves to drop on an output belt 245, forexample. It is to be noted that both the blade 220 and the peach halfare travelling in the same direction, but that the center of rotation ofblade 220 is well below the splitter plate 212. This position of thecenter of rotation of the blade 220 permits the blade to travel fasterthan the peach half and provides a pitting cut in the peach which is ofa substantially smaller radius than the radius of rotation of blade 220.Furthermore, the additional vertical motion applied by roller 232 to theblade, produces a cut in the peach which very closely approaches thecurvature of the outer surface of the peach pit half, thereby conservingmeat of the peach, substantially independently of the peach half size.The cut provided by the blade 220 is adjusted to make a cut based on theaverage relative size of the peach pit to the size of the peach.

It should also be noted that the continuous wobble or oscillationimparts a sawing action to the knife during its passage around the pit,which greatly aids in providing a clean meat cut, and avoids tearing ofthe meat as might occur from a direct pushing cut through the fruitmeat, without blade oscillation.

It is further to be noted that the sleeves 21-4 are held against ends240 of cranks 239 only by gravity. If, for example, an oversize pitshould possibly be encountered by a blade 220 as this blade startsacross the top of its arc over the pit half, the blade will climb thepit contour by the wobble action lifting the sleeve away from itssupport as the blade passes over the top of the pit half, returning tothis support as soon as the blade has passed the peak of its arc. Inthis manner, oversized pits are prevented from being bodily torn out ofthe peach half, spoiling the shape of the remaining meat.

After the knife has removed the pit and the peach half has moved alongto the discharge point, the knives 217 are rapidly reciprocated back totheir original positions before the arrival of the next carriage half.

After the pitted peach halves are discharged from the carriage halves,these carriage halves are progressed back to the input end of themachine, with the carriage halves locked in the position that wasdetermined just prior to the sawing operation. The carriages then enterthe loading stage H-A again and each half is resized as hereinbeforedescribed.

Geur box AThe following members are driven from the gear box 11:

. The probe block 166. v The seam orientation block 105.

The vertical slide 116.

The probe slide 182.

. The longitudinal shaft 57.

. The two chain drive sprockets 9.

. The sleeve rod 228.

The star wheel 46, the pinion wire 94, and the wobble shafts 224 aredriven from the longitudinal shaft 57, while the subconveyor chain 77 isdriven by pins 100 attached to roller chains 10, as hereinbeforedescribed.

The main elements of gear box 11 are shown in Figures 20 and 2l.

Gear box pulley16 is attached to a` main shaft 250 extending laterallythrough the gear box 11 back of a parallel stub shaft' 251. Main shaft250 rotates one oesutpyemw 17 revolution for one cycle of fthe machine,i. e., for the pfrgrfession4 offe'ach' carriage `the center to centerdistance dfjtlif spacing off'tliefcarriag'e' halves on the main chains1o. sul. shaft 2151er A1/2. c'tdshafweing driven from man shaft "25abyruf gears zzrrorcrfioned fo we videlthe;desiredneedredueioneach sideoffstub A'shaftff 25,1: is positioned two pairs of` crns,` p'air ofblock reciprocating cams2`54, and a pair of vertical slide cfands"25`5,.v On'e' cam of each pair i`s"`the 'reciprocal oftheothercam intha"'t`pa`ir,` so' that 'followrscan be given af positive `drive inbothdirectidnsl...

Immediately below stub shaft '2541, with their axes inalignnileiit`,are` a pair' of 'separate 'cam follower shafts, afblocleciprocating shaft` 256 positioned below the e g camsi254 and verticalslide shaft `2.547 belowve calslidec 2,55, Eachrof the shafts 256` arid`2157' exten through the "side wall of the gear bois, and` are'stppbrtedfrdly by end bearings 259 and 260, respectively."` A

The blockr reciprocating shaft 25,6 carries an upwardly extendingreciprocating cam follower yoke 261 having a follower roller 262enlechend thereon-one of these rollers 'contacting each cam of thepairuf block reciprocating cams 255. In a h'ke manner, the verticalslide shaft 2 5icarries 'an upwardly extending vertical slide camfollower volseZt, the ends of. which carry cam rollers 2.6.5.; Quebearing Qn each vertical slide `cam 2.5.51 Thus 'the two shafts 256 and257 areoscillated in accordance with the respective cam contours. d

On the outside of gear box 11, the block reciprocating shaft 256 isconnected to a block reciprocating lever 266 which extends rearwardly,upwardly, and inwardly to terminate close to the central vertical planeV. P. of the machine just below the carriages. At this upper point,lever 266 is connected to the orientation block 105 through thereciprocating power rod 167. The cams 254 are designed to move theblocks with the carriages at o carriage speed for 11/2 cycles of themachine proper,

returning the blocks in 1/2 cycle.

On the other side of the gear box, the vertical slide shaft 257 isconnected to a forwardly extending vertical shaft lever 267, the forwardend of `which is connected to the lower end of the downwardly extendingslide rod 117 shown in Figures 2 `and 9.` The vertical slide cams raisethe vertical slide of the seam orientation stage rapidly, hold the slideup until the end of the seam block travel and then drop the slide. Theshape of cams 255 is shown in Figure 21a.

Mounted on main shaft 250, alongside the shaft spur gear, is aninspection pair of cams 269. To the rear of the inspection cam 269 is aprobe shaft 27) extending outside of gear box 11 to which is attached aprobe yoke 271 having probe yoke rollers 272 on the ends thereof.Rollers 272 contact opposite inspection cams for positive drive of probedrive shaft 270. Outside of gear box 11 a forwardly extending probeslide lever. 274- is attached at one end to probe shaft 270 and at theother end to the probe slide rod 184 so that the vprobe slide isreciprocated from its low point to its high point once for eachreciprocation of the probe block 166.

Longitudinal shaft 57 is driven at twice the speed of main shaft 250through bevel gears 275 one of which is attached to the end oflongitudinal shaft 57, the other gear 275 being attached to an idlershaft 276. Idler shaft 276 is driven from main shaft spur gear 252through idler shaft pinion 277.

The chain drive sprockets 9 are mounted on angularly positioned gear boxplates 279 by sprocket shafts 280 passed through sprocket shaft bearings281 formed in plates 279. Sprocket shafts 280 terminate inwardly insprocket bevel gears 282 which mesh with stub shaft bevel gears 284, oneon each end of the stub shaft 251. Bevel gears v282 and 284 and thedrive sprocket 9 are sized, in a preferred machine embodiment, toprogress 60 carriages per minute past ahgiven point on themachine`when'the main'sh'aft "250m is rotated 6031. P, M., which is' thepreferred cycls'peed'of the ifnachirle,4 thereby enabling 60 peachesperminute to be`pr'oce`s`s'ed. l

The pitting knife sleeves 214 are reciprocated by eccentric strap 228`driven `from yshaft 250- as shown in Figures 21a and 18.L Mounted onshaft 25,0` directly in back of cams 269 is another pair of cams tooperate -a duplicate shaftdirectly-'in back ofthe shaft 270. Thisduplicate shaft issecuredto the lever 167K (also shown in'Eigure 21a)which is linked,` by the rodr167 to the probe` block 166 to givel thelatter the desired rieciprocation as before described l Modcatz'on ofcarriage' .sira'ble to adjust both the positi n of the finger-pairs andthe V71oase plates, and in a constant relationships This type ofadjustment is accomplished, as shown in Figures 22 and 23, by removingthe base plate 39 freni the carriage plate 21 and utilizingra specialcarriage plate 290 that extends only slightly above its connection tothe roller chain 10.

On each side of special carriage plate 290 near the upper end thereofisV an upright lug 291, these lugs 291 being connected by a guide pin292 spaced from the carriage plate 290 to receive a sliding plate 293tting over the special carriage plate 290, being provided with a cutawayportion 294 to permit the sliding plate 293 to reciprocate as shown bythe arrow and to end adjacent the pivot pin 24 of the central ribbed arm22 of the carriage half, which is the same as for the carriage halfpreviously described, except that above pivot pin 24, the ribbed arm 22of the modified Vcarriage half is provided with a drive pin lug 295 inwhich is held a drive pin 296 which extends laterally on each side oflug 295. The horizontal base plate 39 is in this case the upper end ofthe sliding plate 293, so that as the ribbed arm 22 is adjusted, as setforth above in the description of the loading stage I-A, the base 39 isalso moved vertically,

as indicated in Figure 22. Thus for large peaches not only can therestraint space be made larger laterally, but also the base plate 39 canbe lowered so that the orientation wheels 91 and the indent fitting tips124 can penetrate the indents more deeply in the larger peaches.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particular"features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its form proportions, detailconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages. d

While, in order to comply with the statute, the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificfeatures shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise the preferred form of putting the invention into effect, andthe invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms ormodifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appendedclaims.

This application is a division of my pending application Serial No.98,260, filed June l0, 1949, and entitled Fruit Orientation Device.

I claim:

l. In a machine for processing fruit having an elon- 19 gated indent anda suture in substantially the same plane, arcarrier, a plurality ofcarriages mounted on said carrier to securely hold fruit therein, meansfor progressing said carrier over a path, means operating on fruit insaid carriages to position the stem indent of said fruit in apredetermined position and to orientate the fruit in its suture plane,an indent probe positioned'to be moved into contact with said fruit atsaid predetermined position, said probe having an elongated indent probetip capable of penetrating said indent when the elongations of saidindent and of said tip substantially coincide, indent inspection meanslongitudinally slidably mounted on said probe tip, said inspection meansbeing maintained Stationary when the elongation of said indent and ofsaid tip coincide, said inspection means being movable when said probeand said indent elongation do not coincide, reciprocating means forelevating said -probe into fruit contact, means transmitting movement ofsaid reciprocating means to said indent probe, said transmitting meansbeing connected for operation by said inspection means, movement of saidinspection means relative to said indent probe operating said movementtransmitting means to disconnect said reciprocating means from saidindent probe, said probe being elevated by said reciprocating means topush said fruit out of said carriage, and means operating on said latterfruit to remove the same from said machine.

2. In a machine for processing fruit having an elongated indent and asuture in substantially the same plane,

a carrier, a plurality of carriages mounted on said carrier to securelyhold fruit therein against gravity, means for progressing said carrier,means operating on fruit in said carriages to position the stem indentthereof in a downward position and to orientate fruit in its sutureplane, an indent probe positioned to be moved upwardly into contact witha fruit held in a carriage, said probe having an elongated indent ttingtip capable of pene-V References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,225,979 Carroll Dec. 24, 1940 2,232,209 Carroll Feb.18, 1941 2,277,903 Carroll Mar. 31, 1942 2,343,496 Carroll Mar. 7, 19442,398,780 Ewald Apr. 23, 1946 l

